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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26023999">sacrifice (take my everything)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrybaekhyun/pseuds/strawberrybaekhyun'>strawberrybaekhyun</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band), K-pop, SuperM (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Baekhyun has Issues™, Byun Baekhyun Needs a Hug, Byun Baekhyun-centric, EXO Have Powers (EXO), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Kim Jongdae | Chen-centric, Kim Jongin | Kai Being an Asshole, Life is so mean to Baekhyun ;(, MAMA Era Powers (EXO), Music Video: Obsession (EXO), OT9 (EXO), Oh Sehun Being an Asshole, Park Chanyeol Being an Asshole, Red Force (EXO), X-EXO, X-EXO Clone Byun Baekhyun, X-EXO Clone Kim Jongdae | Chen, X-EXO Clone Kim Junmyeon | Suho, X-EXO Clone Park Chanyeol, X-EXO Clones (EXO), Yixing is the only valid character, a lot of exo being assholes to baek but it's ok we stan redemption arcs, but there's also fluff!!1!, me in the tags: angst hurt baekhyun angst, most of the fic: uwu they're bebs, no beta we die like jason grace, ok that's a lie there's also a lot of angst, this so much fluffier than the tags make it look like, x-exo supremacy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:40:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,779</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26023999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrybaekhyun/pseuds/strawberrybaekhyun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was all so achingly unfair. Baekhyun never asked for this. He never wanted these powers, this responsibility. The nine of them were barely a team in name, the others never let him forget that he had no business being on their team.</p><p>Yet here he was, facing Chën, about to trade his life for Jongdae's, despite all of that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun &amp; EXO Ensemble, Byun Baekhyun &amp; Kim Jongdae | Chen, Byun Baekhyun &amp; X-EXO, Byun Baekhyun &amp; Zhang Yi Xing | Lay, Kim Jongdae | Chen &amp; Zhang Yi Xing | Lay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>142</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>based on that one scene from obsession where chën sits in front a chess set with the TV's behind him and also my unending desire for baekhyun angst.</p><p>listen i wrote this in like an hour and i am physically incapable of editing so please be nice</p><p>title from han seungwoo - sacrifice because i'm obsessed with that song</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Baekhyun had way too many regrets in his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was common, given that his field of work was a matter of life or death. Given that the fate of the world was placed on his shoulders, because he was born with powers he never asked for. Given that he hadn’t known a life outside of training ever since light burst out of his hands and sealed his fate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it was safe to say that he would never regret something as much as he regretted not paying attention to Jongdae whenever he tried to teach their team members how to play chess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun never had enough patience for the game, growing bored of it only a few minutes into the game. Most of the time, he would walk out of the room the second he lost interest. But he couldn’t walk out now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chess set in front of him remained as undecipherable as ever, but it was the man sitting in front of it that worried him more. Chën smiled lazily at him, as if he could read his mind. Baekhyun wanted to burst into tears. His smile was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was Jongdae’s smile but with malice dripping from the curve of his lips, with a crazed glint in his eyes, murder written in the way he sat, tensed, like a cat ready to pounce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, tiger was a more accurate comparison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae would have known what to do, would have pulled out some complicated tactic that Chën would have never seen coming, would have toppled Chën’s Queen before he could even realize it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Jongdae wasn’t here. He was outside, walking right into a trap and Baekhyun needed to focus before it was too late for the both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The glare from the wall of TV’s next to Baekhyun bit into his eyes, the constant static giving him a headache. Yet the light did nothing for the darkness that seemed the envelop every inch of the room, creating a dizzying illusion that made the room look both never-ending and suffocatingly tiny. Baekhyun reached out and grasped a knight, hands trembling. He placed it in what he hoped, prayed, was the right place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chën’s smirk told him his prayers went unanswered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun watched, heart sinking, as Chën claimed yet another one of his pieces. He didn’t need any chess lessons to know that this game was about to reach its end. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a fair person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun's head whipped up at the words, neck protesting at the speed. Chën didn’t look back at him, examining a chess piece in his hands. A pregnant silence followed. Baekhyun’s heart raced faster than he had thought was possible and his head felt as if it would burst from the pressure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hurry up,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wanted to shout, </span>
  <em>
    <span>spit it out already, I don’t have the time</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Chën did have the time. He had all the time in the world because Baekhyun couldn’t do anything to him. They both knew who was in control. So Baekhyun waited until Chën finally set down the piece and spoke up again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t subdue both of you, Jongdae’s too much of a wild card for that.” And damn if that didn’t sting. Rationally, Baekhyun knew that Jongdae was an ace in a team of aces. All of their team was powerful. Except for Baekhyun. He knew that’s why they sent Jongdae and him to scout the abandoned building when it should have been only one person. Not because his skills were needed. But because they needed someone to keep Jongdae in check. That was his purpose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a bitter pill to swallow. But he’d been choking on it for decades and now wasn’t the time to dwell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jongdae’s in another room, with no idea what’s going on,” Chën continued, “and you can’t leave without getting through me. Plus, you would still have to deal with Baëkhyun. Your odds don’t look good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, Baekhyun was numb. Numb to the fear, the resentment boiling inside him, numb to the terror that paralyzed him at Chën’s words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your odds aren’t that great either. Baëkhyun alone can’t take down Jongdae and even if you both attack, there’s no telling whether you’ll actually win. Leaving me alone to do so means I get away too. Getting the both of us is impossible.” The predatory grin Chën flashed in response made Baekhyun sick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chën hummed. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.” He leaned forward and it took all of Baekhyun’s willpower to not lean backwards. “Isn’t it better if we just skip all those unnecessary steps and just…let Jongdae go?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. He had known what was coming and he knew what he had to do. “And I suppose I’m the price for letting him go?” His voice wobbled despite his efforts. Chën said nothing, his piercing stare fixed on Baekhyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was all so achingly unfair. He never asked for this. He never wanted this. The nine of them were a team but they made no attempt to hide the fact that Baekhyun’s utter lack of skill and power confused his teammates endlessly. Even as one of the nine people on this planet to ever possess such abilities, he was useless, the odd one out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of them were found around the same time, in their late teens. They all willingly pledged to help the government protect the nation using their powers. All of them, except for Baekhyun. He was found when he was six years old and blew out the entire neighborhood’s lights during a tantrum. Without bothering to extend the same option to Baekhyun’s family, they whisked him away to a government facility, where he grew up with nothing to call family except the faint memory of his brother’s smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, he had the</span>
  <em>
    <span> privilege</span>
  </em>
  <span> of growing up under the care of an ever-changing team of government officials who mostly couldn’t care less about him, and were replaced if they dared to get attached. He had the privilege of watching his eight teammates join him and outshine him immediately. Baekhyun had heard whispers, rumors that his early abduction is what caused his powers to be a dud. But no matter, fucking up Baekhyun’s entire life was just a step on the way to creating the ultimate superhero dream team. His life was collateral damage. An ending like this, giving himself up so that Jongdae could escape, is what he’s meant for. He couldn’t hope for more than this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The injustice of it all choked him, blurred his vision. “Sure,” he choked out, a weak smile on his face, “why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun only had the time to hope that they would show him more mercy than his allies did before everything went black.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jongdae</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey so i saw the two (2) comments on the first chapter and my heart swelled and long story short, i'm continuing this fic. I'm changing the name tho since sacrifice (take my everything) doesn't fit now that Baekhyun's choice isn't as important to the story. Anyway, as usual, i'm physically incapable of editing so be nice!!!<br/>Edit: I know i said i'm changing the name but i absolutely cannot think of anything else so it's just going to stay like this for now</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Splitting up was possibly the worst idea that Jongdae had ever had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t even meant it seriously. He had been joking around, complaining about how large the abandoned building was, and suggested, merely in jest, that they split up to cover more ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Baekhyun chose that of all jokes to respond to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae had been so thrown off by Baekhyun agreeing that he could only stammer out which direction he would take before Baekhyun stalked away, as if being in Jongdae’s presence for a second longer than necessary pained him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which led to where Jongdae was now, cursing Baekhyun as he stumbled around in the dark, too afraid to use lightning in an enclosed environment. Baekhyun’s light would have fixed this problem but of course that would require Baekhyun to torture himself by being within ten feet of Jongdae.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Seriously, what was his problem?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae and all of his other teammates got along fine. But not Baekhyun. He particularly hated Jongdae’s guts. Granted, Baekhyun wasn’t close with any of them. Except, maybe Yixing, if you counted tolerating his presence as friendship. It was still more than what Baekhyun had with the rest of them. But if Baekhyun was cold with the rest of them, he was positively frigid with Jongdae.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one knew anything about Baekhyun. Out on the field, they all trusted each other with their lives, and they trusted Baekhyun to keep them safe no less than they trusted the others. But back at their dorm everything changed. Once they were out of uniform, he became a ghost: Elusive, silent, and prone to disappearing if you focused on him for too long.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been at the facility longer than anyone else. How long exactly, they didn’t know. The person that joined after him was Yixing, who had joined at sixteen, and even he had no idea. Once, drunk out of his mind, Jongin had speculated that he was born at the facility. It wasn’t implausible. He certainly acted like he had never socialized before. Or maybe, Jongin had mused, he wasn’t born at all. What if he was created? That would explain his powers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae had laughed him off, but it made sense. All of them had similar levels of power, except for Jongdae and Baekhyun. Jongdae, a prodigy. Baekhyun, a failure. Light was hard enough to weaponize as it was, and Baekhyun’s lack of power didn’t help matters. He could train with a rapier all he wanted. It didn’t change the fact that he was barely qualified to even be in the facility. He was useful for scouting, since he had a built-in torch light and all, but they usually sent someone else with him if it was too high risk, like now.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Though</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Jongdae fumed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>there wasn’t really a point to the both of them being here if they were in separate places. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae bit back a curse after he tripped on thin air for the nth time. This building had the oddest twists and turns, as if it was designed to confuse. Hesitantly, Jongdae tried summoning lightning.</span>
  <em>
    <span> A tiny amount</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, eyes screwed shut in concentration, </span>
  <em>
    <span>just a little bit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What came after was definitely more than a little bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took all of his control to make the lightning disappear before it burned down the building. But even one moment of light was enough for him to see Baekhyun standing a few feet away, staring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae jumped back, cursing wildly.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baekhyun? What do you think you’re playing at?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae’s surprise morphed into rage when no answer came. Did Baekhyun think this was a game? How long had he been there, watching Jongdae fail around in the dark? He stomped forward, two seconds away from sending out crackling bolts of lightning to find Baekhyun himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baek—!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words died in his throat as he suddenly realized that Baekhyun looked a little different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. Not Baekhyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baëkhyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room fell silent. Fear creeped up Jongdae’s throat. If Baëkhyun was here then surely Chën was too. And Baekhyun was alone on the other side of the building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, they were fucked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want?” Jongdae tried to keep his voice level. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I don’t want anything from you.” Even in the pitch-black room, Jongdae could tell it was Baëkhyun speaking. Baekhyun would never speak in the sing-song, saccharine way that Baëkhyun did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae remained silent, waiting for Baëkhyun to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just here to make sure you don’t go running off to the other side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae’s blood ran cold. The other side of the building? That would mean-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re after </span>
  <em>
    <span>Baekhyun</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae couldn’t help the disbelief seeping into his voice. Why Baekhyun? What use could they have of </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind spun, trying to think of a reason, but was interrupted by Baëkhyun giggling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that is, if he takes the offer. But he would do anything to save you so he probably will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? What do you mean? And why do you want </span>
  <em>
    <span>Baekhyun</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” The incredulity in his voice must have been too obvious to ignore because Baëkhyun shook his head and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You believe that whole ‘His powers are just that weak’ thing too? His own teammate, who would have thought.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Jongdae could even begin to process what that meant, a streak of lightning raced into the room before suddenly disappearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my cue. See you next time.”</span>
</p><p>It was hard to stop someone when you couldn’t even see them.</p><p>
  <span>By the time Jongdae summoned lightning, it only illuminated an empty room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae had a horrible feeling that the entire building was this empty too.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jongdae (and the rest of EXO) is and will continue to be an asshole to Baekhyun for a while :(<br/>Other than Yixing but Yixing is incapable of not being nice<br/></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Jongdae</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>two jongdae chapters in a row!!! a warning, the jongdae-baekhyun chapter distribution is probably gonna be irregular af.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“One more time, just for me.”</p><p>If Jongdae could go back in time, he would.</p><p>He would go back and drag Baekhyun back to his side when he walked off and insist that they explore all rooms together.</p><p>But Jongdae couldn’t manipulate time, so he was stuck in a chair in the middle of their living room, everyone surrounding him like it was an interrogation, explaining what had happened to Junmyeon for the umpteenth time.</p><p>“I already told you, we split up and then Baëkhyun appeared and told me he was here to keep me from helping Baekhyun. Then he got away and Baekhyun had disappeared.”</p><p>Junmyeon pinched the bridge of his nose, pacing back and forth. “And you’re sure the entire building was empty?”</p><p>“How many times do I have to say yes?”</p><p>Junmyeon ignored him. “So basically, you not only let Baekhyun get captured but you let Chën and Baëkhyun destroy any potential evidence that was in the warehouse.”</p><p>Shame burned Jongdae's cheeks red. He protested, “It was Baekhyun’s idea to split up in the first place!”</p><p>Technically it was Jongdae’s but really, it was Baekhyun’s fault that it actually happened. Plus, it didn’t look like Baekhyun was going to be around to tell them the difference any time soon.</p><p>Junmyeon looked like he was going to ask for yet another recap and Jongdae resigned himself to his fate.</p><p>Minseok interrupted. “Aren’t you going to report this to the higher ups?”</p><p>Junmyeon’s eyes widened and he sped out of their dorm. Jongdae smiled at Minseok gratefully.</p><p>Minseok rolled his eyes, “I wouldn’t look so happy just yet. We still have to deal with the storm you cooked up.”</p><p>With that, Minseok left the room, leaving Jongdae at the mercy of the rest of the team members, who seemed torn between ignoring him out of anger and pestering him with questions.</p><p>“I'm all for Baekhyun disappearing and all, but you still seriously fucked up,” Kyungsoo informed him, perched on the armrest of a sofa. Yixing glared at him from the other side of the room, but Kyungsoo seemed unbothered. Minseok and Junmyeon, being the eldest and the leader, respectively, and thus having a responsibility to be more mature, treated Baekhyun with civility. Yixing, for some unknown reason, actually cared for him. Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Sehun and Jongin bore no such responsibility or feelings. </p><p>“Yeah, I mean, it was inevitable, we couldn’t protect him forever. But it was still stupid of you to agree when he wanted to split up.” Sehun was sprawled across the sofa, legs resting in both Chanyeol's and Jongin's laps.</p><p>Chanyeol looked like he was going to add something, but Yixing spoke up. “Baekhyun suggested splitting up? Are you sure?”</p><p>The thing about Yixing was that he was both incredibly perceptive and impossible to lie to. Especially when he was looking at you dead in the eyes.</p><p>Blood rushed to Jongdae’s cheeks. “I mean, I said it first but I didn’t really think he would take it seriously...” He mumbled. Yixing sat down opposite the sofa where all four of the youngest members were seated, saying nothing.</p><p>“I mean, whether he suggested it or Baekhyun did, I say fucking finally. No offense Yixing but it was getting unbearable with him,” Chanyeol said.</p><p>Yixing’s expression twisted into a snarl that they rarely ever saw on him. “Are you even human?” He ground out, Korean stilted in anger, “He’s been kidnapped by the Red Force. Who knows whether he’s dead or alive? And all you can think to say is how awkward you felt with him?”</p><p>Chanyeol opened his mouth to argue but then closed it, embarrassment written all over his face. Jongin looked like he wanted to protest but Yixing stormed out of the room before he could say anything.</p><p>“Stop antagonizing him. You know he’s not going to stop defending him.” Jongdae finally got up.</p><p>Chanyeol snorted. “Whatever. He’s blind. Baekhyun wanted to be here as much as we wanted him here.” </p><p>Jongdae left the room, feeling weirdly guilty. Why was he feeling guilty? It’s not like it was his fault. Besides, Chanyeol was right. Baekhyun didn’t want to be here. Sometimes he wondered why Baekhyun even accepted the offer to use his powers for the government, why he even stayed after it was obvious that he didn’t want to. He never left the facility to visit his family either.</p><p>For the millionth time, Jongdae thought about Jongin’s theory that Baekhyun was created, not born. It would explain so many things: why he stayed, why he didn’t ever visit family, why his powers didn’t work properly, why the Red Force wanted him. They probably wanted to experiment on him or something.</p><p>The thought of Baekhyun strapped to an examination table and being cut open made Jongdae feel guilty all over again. He thought about what Baëkhyun had said, about Baekhyun accepting an offer to save him. He hadn’t mentioned it to Junmyeon because he figured that Junmyeon had enough to worry about already. But he couldn’t stop worrying about it himself, couldn’t stop from staying up all night thinking about it.</p><p><em> It was absurd </em> , Jongdae thought, <em> to think that Baekhyun would sacrifice himself for Jongdae. It was, after all, Baekhyun that pushed all of them away first. He didn’t want anything to do with them. </em></p><p>The team (sans Yixing) didn’t dislike Baekhyun without any reason. He had been cold to them from the start. Chanyeol, who had been the next to be found after Yixing, took this rejection the hardest. He was used to being liked by all, and going from that to being treated with contempt was too much for him.</p><p>By the time the rest of them had arrived and it became clear that Baekhyun didn’t just hate Chanyeol without a reason, he hated everyone, Chanyeol already abhorred Baekhyun more than any of them ever would.</p><p>The others caught on pretty soon.</p><p>It didn’t take long before, despite being the member to stay the longest, Baekhyun was barely a team member at all.</p><p>Why did the thought make Jongdae feel so regretful?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i mean i did warn you that EXO are gonna be assholes. </p><p>I basically got the idea for half the plot because of a random 3am thought that went like:</p><p>but what if,,,,exo were the assholes and x-exo were the good ones?????</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Finally!!! We're back to Baekhyun!! And it's time for ĖXØ!!!</p><p>(yeah so this chapter used to have D.Ø but it made more sense for it to be Xiümin once the story progressed so i edited it)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Baekhyun opened his eyes and wondered if he was dead, if this was the afterlife.</p><p>Then he saw Chën smiling at him and decided that this was definitely the afterlife.</p><p>He gaped at Chën; whose smile turned into an expression of worry as he rose from his chair began fussing over Baekhyun.</p><p>“What is it, are you hurt? Baekhyun? Where does it hurt? Let me help.”</p><p>Baekhyun just stared at him, thunderstruck. Chën was <em> smiling </em>. A real genuine smile, not a smirk or a leer. And was looking at Baekhyun anxiously, trying to find out what was wrong.</p><p>Distantly, Baekhyun wondered if this was what it was like to have a parent.</p><p>Thinking of Chën as a parent? This entire situation was wrong.</p><p>Before Baekhyun could descend any further into insanity, he noticed that he was in a place that was decidedly not his dorm room. </p><p>His neck nearly snapped with the force of his turn as he realized, horror mounting, that he was probably lying in a bed in what seemed to be an infirmary.</p><p><em> ĖXØ </em>'s infirmary.</p><p>Baekhyun scrambled to get out of the bed, away from Chën. He soon realized that he had no energy to get any further beyond half-dangling over the side of his bed, muscles screaming in protest at even this much movement. But it was enough for Chën to let out a high-pitched yelp and grab him, as if he was in any danger of falling to begin with.</p><p>“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM.”</p><p>Chën and Baekhyun both looked at the door with equal expressions of fear. In the door frame stood Xiümin, with a formidable expression on his face.</p><p><em> I didn’t even do anything to him </em> , Baekhyun wanted to scream in protest, <em> I can’t even touch him if I try. </em></p><p>But Baekhyun lacked the energy and motivation to speak, so he just closed his eyes and cringed, waiting for the blow to land.</p><p>He opened his eyes when he heard a crash next to him to see Xiümin holding Chën up by his collar.</p><p>“Putting him in the infirmary for two days wasn’t enough?! Läy barely healed him, do you think he has enough energy for another incident?”</p><p>“You're misunderstanding! Besides, it’s not like I could have knocked him out with just a tap—"</p><p>“Who’s misunderstanding who? You sure could have done it a little gentler—"</p><p>“The both of you are scaring him,” a new voice cut in.</p><p>Läy stood at the foot of his bed, with a stern expression on his face that was ruined by the fond smile tugging at his lips.</p><p>The sight of Läy made Baekhyun misty eyed. Yixing probably thought he was dead. Yixing, the only one of his teammates who stubbornly stuck by him, who was there for Baekhyun when everything was just too much to handle. He was just letting Yixing worry like that because of his choice. His decision saved Jongdae but Baekhyun would be lying if he said Jongdae was the only reason he accepted the offer. He didn’t even think about <em> Yixing </em>.</p><p>The next thing he knew, his cheeks were wet.</p><p>If he hadn’t been bawling his eyes out, the twin expressions of panic of Läy and Chën's faces would have been hilarious. He couldn’t see Xiümin's face from where he was lying down, a shame, but he imagined it was something similar.</p><p>“It’s ok,” Läy said soothingly, rubbing circles on his back. Hearing what sounded like Yixing's voice only made Baekhyun sob louder.</p><p>Once his cries had mostly quieted and he realized what had just happened, he thought that, at the very least, he saved ËXØ the trouble of killing him by killing himself of embarrassment. </p><p>“Maybe you're scared but we’re not going to hurt you. We’ll explain everything I promise, just wait for a while,” Chën stared at him dead in the eyes, lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Well, that definitely wasn’t what Baekhyun had been crying about but it was an interesting development. One that he wasn’t sure he even believed.</p><p>“Sure,” he said slowly, growing increasingly aware of the fact that he was in ĖXØ territory, surrounded by three ĖXØ members, with more certainly waiting outside. No matter how silly and nice they acted, they were still ĖXØ. Baekhyun still needed to figure out a way to get out of here.</p><p>“It’s ok, you don’t have to believe us right now,” yet another ĖXØ member spoke from beside his bed, “but we’re really not going to hurt you.”</p><p>Baekhyun twisted his body trying to get away from the new entry, heart racing and curses on the tip of his tongue. How did they all manage to sneak into the room like that? Not to mention, he was right next to him and it took him speaking for Baekhyun to notice him.</p><p>Baëkhyun just stared at him sadly. It wasn’t Baekhyun’s first time seeing him, but it still felt weird seeing himself standing in front of him.</p><p>Suddenly, Baëkhyun’s words registered and he considered just cursing him out loud instead of just in his head. How had he read him so easily? Maybe because they were technically the same person it was easier for Baëkhyun to understand his thoughts. If so, then getting out was going to be a lot more complicated than he thought.</p><p>Läy patted his head. “Don’t think so hard, just rest up. Chën really did a number on you.”</p><p>Ignoring the head pat, Baekhyun focused on the second part of the sentence. “Chën did what?”</p><p>He looked at Chën expectantly, who blushed and avoided his gaze.</p><p>Chën rubbed the back of his neck, mumbling out an answer, “I had to knock you out at the warehouse. I accidentally used a lot more strength than intended. But Läy healed you so it’s ok!” </p><p>Someone behind Chën muttered, “A lot more strength is an understatement.”</p><p>“Anyway,” Chën continued, “don’t worry about it. I just put on a show to get you here.”</p><p>“Chën’s always had a fair for the dramatic.” Baëkhyun commented drily. Chën’s face turned even redder than before.</p><p>“Just sleep, I can tell the excitement wore you out,” Xiümin advised.</p><p>Now that he mentioned it, Baekhyun’s eyelids were feeling incredibly heavy. How had he not noticed before?</p><p>He barely had time to mumble assent before sleep overcame him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ĖXØ are babies idc</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i didn't plan for Suhø to be such an important character but i am now soft for the x-leader uwu</p><p>anyway sorry to the jongdae fans but EXO isn't gonna appear for a while</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Baekhyun woke up to a scene that really shouldn’t have been as familiar as it was.</p><p>Suhø was asleep in the chair next to his bed, neck twisted in a way that couldn’t have been comfortable. Baekhyun stared at the top of his head, two scarlet horns peeking out from a mop of equally bright red hair. It was oddly cute.</p><p>If you had told Baekhyun that he would think of an ĖXØ member as cute just a few days ago, he probably would have given you a blank stare until you left him alone. </p><p>And yet.</p><p>Baekhyun turned his head to the other side of the bed, where, predictably, Läy was asleep in another seat, shoulders slumped and head resting on his chest, to the point that his neck was no longer visible. These ĖXØ members fell asleep in just any position, huh.</p><p>Since the first time he woke up, Baekhyun had been waking up and falling back asleep for short intervals, each time to find a new ĖXØ member in his room. Läy assured him that his body would be back to normal in a day or so, but he did nothing to explain the sudden ĖXØ infestation in the infirmary.</p><p>Well, technically, it was an EXO infestation since <em> he </em> was the one who wasn’t supposed to be there, but he preferred not to think about that. </p><p>Beside him, Suhø groaned in his sleep. Baekhyun turned back to him, his spine wincing in commiseration at the sight. Maybe if he just shifted his head like so, it would be better…</p><p>Before Baekhyun could even think about it, he was reaching out to adjust Suhø’s position. <em> I’ll do it gently so he won’t even notice </em> , he rationalized, <em> no one’s even going to know about it. </em></p><p>Clearly, some deity watching down on them hated Baekhyun so Suhø stirred the second his hand touched his hair.</p><p>Baekhyun froze and stared into Suhø’s confused eyes, face redder than Suhø’s hair. He retracted his hand, a moment too late.</p><p>“You looked kind of uncomfortable so I, uh, I just, um,” Baekhyun mumbled, “I was just…helping.” “Sorry.” He added, as an afterthought.</p><p>If Suhø found anything off with this explanation, he didn’t say. Nodding in response, he just segued into the topic of Baekhyun’s health, which Baekhyun was grateful for.</p><p>After a few minutes, Suhø cleared his throat. “I actually wanted to speak to you about something, Baekhyun.”</p><p>Baekhyun shifted nervously. “Yes?”</p><p>Suhø remained silent for a few seconds, as if deep in thought. “There’s something weird going on. The Red Force and the government officials aren’t who we think they are.”</p><p>“Um.” Baekhyun said intelligently.</p><p>Suhø spoke carefully, “I think it may have something to do with your…issue.”</p><p>Baekhyun frowned, head cocked in question. </p><p>“What iss—”</p><p><em> Oh </em>.</p><p>With retrospect, it should have been a lot more evident than it was. People only had one thing to talk about when it came to Baekhyun, and that was his powers. Or lack thereof.</p><p>“What about it?” Baekhyun asked, slowly, as if the topic pained him. </p><p>“It seems kind of suspicious to me, I just think that something’s off—” Suhø rushed to be heard, but Baekhyun tuned him out after the first sentence.</p><p>Ha.</p><p>Not this again.</p><p>“Do you really think,” Baekhyun said coldly, “that you’re the first person to think of this?”</p><p>He laughed, more bitter and resentful than he had sounded in a while. </p><p>“They ran all the tests they could fucking find on me, and <em> nothing </em>.” Baekhyun practically shouted the last word, his expression daring Suhø to contest. It was a miracle Läy didn’t wake up. “My powers are weak because they are. Any test will tell you the same. I’m not wasting any more time hoping otherwise.”</p><p>Suhø looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. “Don’t you see, Baekhyun? If they’re hiding something, then the tests may not have even been designed to find anything useful.”</p><p>Baekhyun stared at him, nonplussed.</p><p>“I think the tests were falsified.” </p><p>This time, Baekhyun remained silent.</p><p>Suhø sighed, patting him on the shoulder. “We can talk about it more when you’re feeling better. Just get some rest.”</p><p>With that, Suhø left the room, leaving Baekhyun alone with his thoughts.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>baekhyun's going soft!!!!! it's a work in progress</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry for the late update ;( </p><p>i have my caies in like a month so i have to study all day mostly. updates are going to be a lot slower from now on. 💔</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Baekhyun didn’t know what he was expecting from his tour of the ĖXØ base, but this definitely wasn’t it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he managed to stay awake for a whole torturous day before passing out, Läy had finally given him a green light on actually stepping foot outside the infirmary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, staying in bed for the better part of a week meant that staying upright was a bit of a challenge for him. Which meant that if he wanted to go outside, he needed someone to physically support him. Enter Baëkhyun and Sehůn, who had volunteered Chanyeøl as tribute on the grounds that ‘he’s the tallest’. Chanyeøl had merely sighed. Kāi decided to tag along for the hell of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours later, the five of them were walking around the dilapidated storehouse that ĖXØ called home, the four ĖXØ members excitedly pointing out anything interesting to Baekhyun and occasionally stopping to make fun of Baekhyun’s glacial pace. It wasn’t mean-spirited, Baekhyun could tell. But he wasn’t used to this kind of friendly ribbing, to joking around with someone like they were close, so he just nodded along and laughed when it seemed appropriate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that!” Baëkhyun gleefully pointed at a scorch mark on the dirtied concrete walls, “is from when Kāi and Sehůn surprised Chanyeøl and he was so shocked he burned his clothes off!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kāi and Sehůn dissolved into laughter at the memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that happen a lot?” Baekhyun asked Chanyeøl, “Your clothes burning off?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kāi and Sehůn howled louder at the question, clearly struggling to breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chanyeøl scratched the nape of his neck. “Well, no. I mean, it used to happen occasionally but after an…</span>
  <em>
    <span>incident</span>
  </em>
  <span> during training, my clothes are fireproof now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baëkhyun’s grin stretched even wider. In the sweetest tone possible, he asked Baekhyun, “Do you want to hear about the incident?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of this was clearly too much for Kāi and Sehůn, who collapsed, sniggering and holding on to each other for support. Chanyeøl glared at them in mock anger. “All three of you are really having too much fun with this situation. The second I let go of Baekhyun you better run for your lives.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Start running then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all turned around to see Suhø leaning against the wall behind them, lips quirked up in a fond smile. “I need to talk to Baekhyun.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chanyeøl didn’t notice how Baekhyun’s grip on his arm tightened at the words, too busy plotting his team members’ painful deaths. He grinned at the thought as he walked Baekhyun over to Suhø, not noticing that said members had already escaped the second his head turned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun took Suhø’s arm cautiously, well aware of what Suhø wanted to talk about. They spent the walk to Suhø’s office in careful silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they arrived Baekhyun couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is your office?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He regretted saying it the moment the words left his mouth but Suhø didn’t seem to think much of the comment, chuckling in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not all of us have fancy dorms funded by the government,” he teased. Baekhyun immediately turned beet red. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Still</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought,</span>
  <em>
    <span> isn’t the Red Force supposed to be super rich? Abandoned warehouses as headquarters and dinky little broom closets as offices doesn’t add up with the technology they have.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, in spite of its size, Suhø found a way to fit two chairs in the room. They sat in silence before Baekhyun finally broached the subject. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you think the tests were falsified. Sure, let’s assume I believe that. There’s still nothing in it for you to help me. There definitely isn’t any motive for you to go through all the trouble of basically kidnapping me and then having me healed.” Baekhyun seemed as if all his nervous anxiety had just melted away, expression smoothed over to betray no emotions, tone cold and calculating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, there is. I know this all will sound like nothing but wild conjecture, but if it’s true then everything changes. For us and for EXO. Just hear me out.” Suhø leaned over, desperation clear on his face, “If I’m right, then there is no such thing as the Red Force.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>things are spicing up!!! </p><p>also stream tiger inside it's a bop!! and if you don't support superm wyd honey. kaibaek don't deserve 'fans' who boycott their group. whether they wanted to or not, they're in the group now so support them!!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Suhø</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i originally planned for Baekhyun and Jongdae POVs only but this chapter just seemed to fit better with Suhø's perspective so</p><p>(i might do other character's perspectives again)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Baekhyun, understandably, looked shocked. Suhø didn’t believe it himself when Baëkhyun came to him with the theory. But if anyone could uncover a web of deception this large and this complicated, it would be Baëkhyun. So, Suhø heard him out, gave him a chance to prove it with evidence. And Baëkhyun delivered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, I’m not the best person to explain it, since I’m not the one who discovered it.” Suhø nodded towards where Baëkhyun was standing. Baekhyun followed his line of sight, looking unsurprised to see Baëkhyun standing in a corner that was empty a second ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can manipulate light to turn yourself invisible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t a question. Baëkhyun nodded hesitantly. Suhø and Baëkhyun glanced at each other. It was obvious that this wasn’t news to Baekhyun. Which begged the question, how much did he, and EXO, know about them, and about things they had thought were secret?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t aware EXO knew of this particular aspect of our powers” Baëkhyun chose his words carefully, gauging Baekhyun’s reaction, “at least, they don’t fight like they know about it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun shrugged, clearly bored of this topic. “That’s because EXO doesn’t know. I knew.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø blinked. Well, wasn’t Baekhyun full of surprises? But this was a topic for another day. They had more pressing matters to attend to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø cleared his throat. “Anyway, the reason I called Baëkhyun here is to explain what I talked to you about the other day at the infirmary.” Suhø gestured for Baëkhyun to begin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we begin, you should know that we don’t know much about the Red Force either. Officials from the Red Force visit us every so often to check up on us, but we get our supplies delivered to us, our duties are sent directly to Suhø, and the rest we handle ourselves. We’re basically free to do what we want when we’re not on duty. Since my ability means people only see me when I want them to, I’m also free to go where I want.” Baëkhyun explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you took advantage of that to spy on EXO.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø swallowed down his nervousness. Baekhyun was clearly more perceptive than they had realized. If Baekhyun agreed to help them, it could work in their favor. They already knew that everyone underestimated Baekhyun. They just hadn’t expected to be part of everyone. If Baekhyun rejected the proposal, it meant they had an adversary who was even more competent than they had accounted for. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Suhø noted, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he refers to himself and to EXO as two separate entities</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.” Baëkhyun agreed. “I spied on EXO and a lot of things seemed off to me. Like the fact that somehow, you guys were provided with information about our future movements that we didn’t even know yet. Like the fact that we had also received information on your movements that you guys didn’t seem to know about. It was clearly an inside job from both sides. So, I dug a little harder. I went straight to the source, so to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Red Force or the government?” Baekhyun hadn’t realized yet. Or maybe he couldn’t believe it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baëkhyun shook his head. Gently, he said, “Baekhyun…they’re the same thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø held his breath, waiting for Baekhyun to reply, to react. But Baekhyun’s face remained impassive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø waited for Baekhyun to say more, to ask more, but he only looked expectantly at Baëkhyun. When it became obvious that Baëkhyun and Suhø were waiting for him, he sighed and continued,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get me wrong, I’m expecting you to back all of this up with evidence at the end, but I’m just going to suspend disbelief till then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø dug his nails harder into the palms of his hands. He let Baëkhyun take the lead on this because it only made sense. Baëkhyun knew what he was talking about better than anyone, and he knew the person he was talking to a whole lot better than Suhø did. But Baekhyun was so unreadable, so unpredictable. Who knew what he would say next, why he did what he did? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t want to doubt Baëkhyun but, as he watched Baekhyun expertly hide his emotions in the face of life-threatening news, he couldn’t help but overthink. What if Baekhyun agreed and turned on them later? It was Suhø’s duty as leader to protect his team. What if he decided that he didn’t want anything to do with them right now? ĖXØ was far from powerless to stop him, but Suhø would be a fool to ignore that his team had grown attached to Baekhyun in the few days they had been looking after him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø could only hope that Baekhyun had grown attached too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The government has a branch dedicated to controlling training super naturals, like us. The branch is divided into two parts. One overseeing EXO, the other supervising ĖXØ.” Baëkhyun said, hurriedly, probably realizing that the others would notice all three of them were missing by now. “The reason they’re doing this…”  he hesitated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The reason is?” Baekhyun prompted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To train EXO. They created ĖXØ and the Red Force as a front to train you and to observe your powers. At some point they’ll probably fake the defeat of the Red Force and we’ll conveniently disappear too.” Baëkhyun spoke so softly Suhø nearly missed it. “I guess getting teenagers to agree to fight an other-worldly threat to the country is easier than getting them to agree to being studied like specimens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø felt a spiteful sort of satisfaction at seeing shock visibly ripple across Baekhyun’s expression. Maybe it was finally sinking in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you want to help me ‘regain’ the powers you think I once had, based on some evidence, I hope? And in exchange, I’m supposed to help you with…whatever it is that you’re planning to do about this?” Baekhyun asked, voice trembling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun exhaled, bringing his hands up to cover his face. After a few minutes, he asked, “What do you even propose to do with this information? And how do I fit in your plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baëkhyun looked at Suhø.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suhø steepled his fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>more cliffhangers!! and some explanations!!</p><p>sorry for being emo in the notes but honestly i feel like shit lately and i have barely any time in between thinking i should be studying and actually studying and it feels like i'm doing everything wrong while everyone else is doing fine and i just have no idea what to do</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks to the people who left a comment on the last chapter, you're probably the reason this chapter is up.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In spite of the evidence, Baekhyun wasn’t sure he even believed it. </p><p>Part of him had been hoping that there wouldn’t be enough evidence, that he would be able to dismiss their theory as wild conjecture. But they made good on their promise to prove it, and Baekhyun was left with no grounds to dispute their argument. </p><p>You know, other than the fact <em> none of it made any fucking sense </em>.</p><p>Baekhyun’s head spun just thinking about it. He leaned against the wall; eyes closed. At least they had the decency to give him some time to think about it, even if it was just a day. But one day wasn’t nearly enough. He didn’t even know if he could trust them at all, let alone trust them enough to go through with their plan, and he only had a few more hours to decide.</p><p>How could they expect him to believe them? They had essentially just told him his entire life was a lie. And what they suggested to do with this information…</p><p>“Stop frowning, you’ll give yourself wrinkles.”</p><p>Baekhyun jumped back, opening his eyes to see Chën’s smiling face hovering inches in front of his own. Chën seemed unfazed by his reaction. Baekhyun was about to curse him out, his heart still beating loud enough to drown out all other noise. But in that moment, he glanced beyond Chën’s shoulder and stilled. Chën followed his line of vision and grinned at the person standing a few feet away.</p><p>The only ĖXØ member he hadn’t met yet. D.Ø. </p><p>“Why are you standing over there like a creep? Come on, I don’t think you guys have ever talked to each other, right?” Chën bounded over to D.Ø and dragged him over to Baekhyun. D.Ø let himself be pulled; expression uneasy. </p><p>It wasn’t any less awkward once they were standing face to face. </p><p>Baekhyun clutched his elbow, unsure of what he should do. The uncomfortable silence was suffocating but Chën didn’t seem to feel it, looking at D.Ø eagerly, clearly waiting for him to say something. D.Ø cleared his throat and mumbled something incomprehensible. Baekhyun stared at him blankly until he repeated himself. </p><p>“I said, we’re going to try to make something for dinner, do you want to come?” D.Ø said, a tad louder than needed. Baekhyun nodded. </p><p>Chën, who had clearly been waiting for this, linked his arms in theirs and started speed walking, leading them down the hallway, presumably towards the kitchen, chattering excitedly. </p><p>“The only people in the team who can actually cook are D.Ø, Suhø, and Xiümin, but Suhø needed Xiümin for something and apparently, it’s going to take a lot of time, so we’re going to help D.Ø! I hope you have some experience in the kitchen because I honestly have no idea how to work anything in there.” Baekhyun, busy marveling how Chën managed to get all of that out in a single breath, took a moment to realize that he had been addressed. </p><p>“Uh, yeah I can do the basics.” Baekhyun replied.</p><p>"Perfect!” Chën beamed at him.</p><p>They reached the kitchen soon enough. Like all other rooms in the base, it was unbelievably cramped. D.Ø wordlessly set about pulling out cooking utensils and ingredients from the cupboards. Chën and Baekhyun watched him, perched on the kitchen counter.</p><p>“Don’t mind D.Ø, he’s a little awkward around strangers. He’s also not really a man of many words.” Chën told him in a stage whisper. D.Ø turned around to roll his eyes at him, but he didn’t object. Baekhyun understood him though. He also liked the comfortable silence, punctuated only by Chën’s occasional comments. </p><p>Eventually, the counter started overflowing with utensils and D.Ø gestured for someone to come help him. </p><p>Chën pushed Baekhyun off the counter, gesticulating wildly. Baekhyun understood enough to know that he was telling him to help D.Ø, which is what they came here to do. He mock-glared at Chën anyway, protesting.</p><p>“What are you here for then?” </p><p>“I’m just here to sit and look pretty. You know, to boost team morale.” Chën batted his eyelashes at him. Baekhyun scoffed and grabbed the knife D.Ø slid across the counter, waving it threateningly at Chën before he began chopping the vegetables D.Ø passed to him. A few moments passed, D.Ø humming quietly as he worked.</p><p>“Hey,” Chën said suddenly, “Where did you, Suhø, and Baëkhyun disappear to anyway?”</p><p> Baekhyun’s heart skipped a beat. </p><p>
  <em> After Baekhyun had been shown all the evidence, Baëkhyun pulled him aside before he could leave.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You can’t tell anyone about this. Absolutely no one. The three of us are the only ones who know. Let’s keep it that way.” </em>
</p><p>“I don’t know anything about Baëkhyun but Suhø was just talking about how I can trust you guys and all.”</p><p>Chën hummed in response, satisfied with this explanation.</p><p>“You can, you know. Trust us.”  D.Ø spoke sotto voce, yet his voice rang clear in the small room. What could Baekhyun even say in response? He remained silent, waiting for D.Ø to continue.</p><p>“All of us. I know ĖXØ and EXO don’t really mix, and I may not know why Suhø chose to bring you here, but I trust him and I trust my instincts. ĖXØ isn’t your enemy.” D.Ø gazed at him with an uncharacteristically tender expression on his face. Behind him, Chën nodded vigorously in agreement. </p><p>“I know.” Baekhyun said. He hadn’t meant to end up here, cooking with the men he was made to believe were his mortal enemies, trusting them. Somehow, he was here all the same. And it didn't feel wrong.</p><p>They settled into a relaxed silence, Baekhyun and Chën humming along with D.Ø.</p><p>Baekhyun hadn’t ever known a family. Not with the government officials who raised him, not with EXO. But this felt suspiciously like one.</p><p>A voice in Baekhyun’s head screamed at him that thoughts like those were <em> betrayal </em>. That ĖXØ was the enemy. That he had been with them for barely a week. But Baekhyun couldn’t find it himself to care.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>it somehow feels like i'm taking this too fast and too slow at the same time lol</p><p>(if you're confused about why Baekhyun says he hasn't met D.Ø before, you should probably re visit chp 4 because i wrote this chapter with Xiümin first and i felt like D.Ø fit better so i switched them)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Jongdae</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'M BACK BITCHES </p><p>sorry for the month long wait :(</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Somehow, even though Baekhyun was the last thing on their minds when he was present, his disappearance was the only thing EXO could think of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Days passed without any word from the higher ups about Baekhyun’s disappearance. For the first few days, no one other than Yixing really cared or noticed. Once a week had passed, an aura of disquiet fell over the entire group. Yixing was the only one who said anything about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been more than a week. Nine days, Junmyeon. How can you ask me to just wait when they clearly don’t plan on doing anything at all?” Yixing argued, leaning over the kitchen table, plate pushed to the side, forgotten. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lately, breakfast had been a disaster waiting to happen. Every day, Junmyeon had no news to give and every day Yixing drew closer to snapping. Not for the first time, Jongdae thanked the heavens that Yixing’s power wasn’t destructive by nature. He imagined Yixing with lightning exploding out of his hands and shuddered. No one would stand a chance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Junmyeon regarded Yixing with a weary expression. The abduction was all they could think about, really. Junmyeon tried to hide it but worry shone through his expression. Even Chanyeol had stopped passing snide comments about the officials recognizing that it wasn’t worth it to save Baekhyun. Something was off and it got harder to ignore the more days passed in radio silence.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just have to trust them.” Junmyeon sounded more unsure of his own words each day, but nevertheless, he still repeated them. The others still nodded along, clinging to the hope that they would wake up and find themselves once more in the world where the officials took care of everything within a blink of an eye, where they could live without the dread of having to face the harsh reality that awaited them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing’s hand curled into a fist and Jongdae tensed. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’tpunchhimpleasedon’tpunchhimdon-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>For once, some deity chose to listen to his prayer and Yixing stormed off. They all winced when his bedroom door banged shut. An awkward silence hung over the table. Minseok sighed and picked up Yixing’s untouched plate, heading for Yixing’s room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minseok…” Jongdae grabbed his arm. “I’ll do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minseok looked askance at the sudden request but he handed the plate over without question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae gripped the plate, realizing that he had absolutely no idea what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knocking on Yixing’s door, he swallowed nervously before calling out his name softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing opened the door, face blank. He reached for the plate but Jongdae pulled it out of his reach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” he muttered, “can I talk to you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing stared at him for a minute, eyebrows furrowed, before opening the door wider. Jongdae entered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing’s room was always the neatest of all of them, except maybe Minseok. To the unfamiliar eye, it would look as tidy as ever, but Jongdae spotted the clutter peeking out from where it was hastily shoved under the furniture. Jongdae sat on the bed and set the plate down next to him, remembering a moment too late that Yixing hated eating in bed because of the crumbs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing sat down next to him, staring at him intently. He didn’t touch the plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An uncomfortable silence filled the room, but Jongdae seemed to be the only one feeling it. He squirmed under Yixing’s piercing gaze. Evidently, Yixing was waiting for him to break the silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, um,” Jongdae started, “I just wanted to, uh, check up on you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae winced. His excuse sounded weak to his own ears. Yixing had undoubtedly realized that Jongdae had something else on his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, Yixing remained silent, expression impassive. Jongdae swallowed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to ask you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to talk to you…about Baekhyun.” He admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing nodded, features softening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think.” Jongdae paused. Even if it was just to Yixing, saying it out loud felt like a crime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think…something is going with the higher ups.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just,” Jongdae rushed, “it seems weird that they aren’t doing anything. It’s like they plan on letting the Red Force keep Baekhyun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart threatened to jackrabbit out of his chest. Yixing seemed unsatisfied with the officials lately, so he would agree with Jongdae, right? But then why wasn’t Yixing saying anything?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no evidence,” Yixing began, and Jongdae’s heart plummeted, “but I think you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae hadn’t noticed the painful knot in his chest until it disappeared. Yixing finally smiled, a tiny quirk of his lips, but a smile nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was wondering why you kept staring at me during breakfast.” Yixing smiled once more, placing his hand over Jongdae’s. “I’m glad you told me though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae looked down, hyper aware of Yixing’s hand pressing down on his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s strange, he hadn’t realized how worried he was about Yixing until he was in his room, hand trapped under his. How worried he was about Baekhyun until Yixing told him it was alright, he felt the same. How exhausting it was to deal with these thoughts alone until Yixing smiled at him and told him he didn’t have to. Giddy relief rises in Jongdae’s chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s strange, right?” Jongdae blabbered, “We should have been sent to try to rescue him by now, they should have tried something—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae was interrupted by someone swearing loudly outside Yixing’s bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae and Yixing stared at each other in shocked silence before the voice started again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, they got up and inched towards the door, making sure they remained silent. Slowly, they grew closer to the door, and the voice grew clearer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-going to give me an aneurysm!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dorm should be empty, Jongdae realized. All of them were supposed to be out scouting places they’d already checked before, just in case Baekhyun was being held there. Junmyeon had started the routine, all of them going crazy doing nothing but Junmyeon not having the permission to authorize rounds in places they hadn’t previously visited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a pointless exercise and they all knew it. But like all of their other outings, it was reported to the government officials looking over them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second, more familiar voice joined in on the conversation and understanding dawned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae grabbed Yixing's shoulders and pulled him closer, close enough for him to be able to hear Jongdae’s whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s him,” Jongdae murmured, trying to ignore the sound of Yixing’s breathing filling his hearing, “it’s the official who comes to give us the orders.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae felt Yixing nodding over his shoulder and released him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae’s thoughts ran wild trying to think of an excuse, a reason. But there was no denying the facts: the officials knew about their scouting and would have expected the dorm to be empty, and one of those voices was the voice of Park Yongbok, the very government official responsible for relaying government messages to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The implications were mind shattering, but Jongdae didn’t have time to dwell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He put his ear to the door and tried to catch the conversation outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The unfamiliar voice spoke up once more. “-and who would have expected them to go and do this? Of all the crazy ideas! And we can’t exactly go and tell them, ‘oh hey, you need to release him’ because it’s supposed to be our and their life goal to catch an EXO member, you can’t have the Red Force trying to help an EXO member.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yongbok interrupted the man’s heated rant, voice dropped low in a soothing tone that Jongdae strained to catch, “Chanhyun, it’s alright, let ĖXØ have their fun, they only caught the useless one. His disappearance will certainly unsettle EXO but they’ll get used to it. Besides, the head’s been after us to fix the Baekhyun problem for years. This is the perfect opportunity for that. It’s a win-win.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chanhyun grumbled in response, clearly still not ready to stop complaining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s easy for you to say, you're in the EXO branch, all you have to do is tell EXO it’s out of your hands until they stop asking. You get to sit back and relax; you even get the key to this unnecessarily luxurious apartment the government is providing for these aliens. The Red Force branch has to deal with those psychos, who take every chance to make our lives hell. You’d think the creatures created by the Red Force would have more respect for the Red Force.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yongbok merely chuckled in response. “As entertaining it is to listen to you whine non stop, we need to get back before our break ends and the supernaturals come back. Chin up, I’m sure you'll get transferred from the Red Force branch to the EXO branch soon enough.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongdae couldn’t hear Chanhyun’s reply but pretty soon, the front door clicked open and closed and silence hung over the entire dorm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing and Jongdae stared at each other for what seemed like mere seconds before the door opened again and the EXO members began spilling into the dorm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yixing reached for the doorknob, but before he could twist it open, Jongdae reached and pulled his hand down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell them.” He murmured softly. Yixing stared at him, eyebrows knitted in confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just…try to figure out what it means ourselves first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, Yixing didn’t argue or ask for a reason. He simply nodded before leaving the room, leaving Jongdae to wonder about the new reality he had just stumbled into.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>tbh i really had no idea how to write this because i stopped writing on it for like 2 months during my exams and i just couldn't pick it up again idk why.<br/>the chapter seems really clunky and awkward to me but that's probably because i wrote half of this 3 months before the second half so sorry about that.<br/>anyway i've made an outline now so we're back on track!! now that i've actually planned everything out it turned out to be really different than what i imagined before lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Baekhyun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WE HIT 10K !!!!</p><p>Honestly this chap is just everyone laughs a lot with a pinch of angst</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Resistance was to be expected, it was natural, even. Baekhyun had been prepared to struggle to be accepted within ĖXØ. He had been ready for every scenario.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He, somehow, still hadn’t been ready for the scenario where they all accepted him without question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a while before he stopped arguing about D.Ø insisting on cooking for Baekhyun, no matter how much Baekhyun said he could do it himself. It took some time before he got used to Chanyeøl silently offering his arm for support every time Baekhyun’s still recovering legs threatened to give out on him. It took even longer before he stopped flinching whenever Baëkhyun threw himself onto him and clung to him like an oversized koala. But, weirdly enough, he began to enjoy it. It scared Baekhyun to think about how easily ĖXØ had become a part of his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, being part of ĖXØ also meant being part of their duty roster. It was an experience, to say the least. Baekhyun had near to no experience with mundane chores, having grown up and lived in a government facility. Suffice to say, chores weren’t Baekhyun’s favorite part of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he found that he didn’t mind it half as much when he wasn’t alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, Baekhyun, no offense, but you’re such a rich kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun set down the plate he was drying and slowly turned around to glare up at Chën, who smirked at him from the kitchen counter. One annoyed look from Baekhyun was all it took for him to burst into laughter, kicking against the kitchen cupboards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop acting like a baby.” Xiümin reached over to give Baekhyun yet another wet plate. ‘Last one’ he mouthed, and Baekhyun merely sighed before picking up the washcloth once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s true! It’s like you haven’t ever held a broom before. You should’ve seen him when I first asked him to help me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A week ago, Baekhyun would have fallen quiet or lashed out. Baekhyun now gasped and swung in Chën’s direction, putting on a mock-offended expression. “Excuse you!” He said, trying to keep from giggling, “I’ll have you know that I sweep floors better than any of you degenerates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to him, Xiümin sighed. “-only sane person in this place.” He mumbled, not bothering to look up from the dishes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun, trying to keep his laughter in, just smiled. Chën rolled his eyes and jumped down from the counter. Before Xiümin could dodge, Chën tackled him, ignoring his shouts of protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just as insane as us, Xiümin,” Chën crooned, holding fast despite Xiümin’s attempts to shake him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baëkhyun and Chën were usually kept separate during such chores due to their tendency to quote unquote ‘lose all brain cells once they were within six feet of each other.’ As said by Chanyeøl, who really didn’t have a leg to stand on. Chanyeøl and Sehůn weren’t allowed to pair up either. Baekhyun suspected his name would soon be added to the same list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun assumed the dishes were the last of the duties assigned to them because once Xiümin broke free, he chased Chën out of the kitchen, yelling after him. Sniggering, Baekhyun ran after them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Baekhyun caught up to them, Chën and Xiümin had reached the infirmary. Läy stood to one side of the room, presumably to both avoid Xiümin’s wrath and stay for the show. It’s only once Baekhyun walked up to him that he noticed he was snickering politely behind his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They do this every week,” Läy said amusedly, “First, they’ll chase each other throughout the whole base. Kāi, Sehůn, and Chanyeøl will join them once they reach the training room. Then, chaos.” Läy mimicked an explosion with his hands, blowing air out of his mouth in a markedly failed attempt to whistle and add sound effects. Baekhyun laughed at that, and Läy smiled down at him, pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Training room?” Baekhyun asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the only place that’s element proof,” he explained, “so they can go crazy without burning the whole place down. Being stuck in this warehouse makes everyone go a little stir crazy. Weekly fight-to-the-death time helps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun hummed in understanding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone will reach the training room eventually, to watch or to go wild,” Läy continued. Baekhyun hopped onto a bed next to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never thought I’d say this after the eternity you kept me in here for,” Baekhyun started, grinning at Läy’s protest that he needed to heal, “but I’d rather stay in the infirmary for now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Läy rolled his eyes at him, trying to fake annoyance, but the fond smile tugging at his lips gave him away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stayed like that for a few more moments, in comfortable silence, Baekhyun sprawled over the infirmary bed, Läy humming softly as he rearranged the miscellaneous odds and ends strewn over his desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m curious,”  Läy broke the silence, “how did you guys become EXO? Were you recruited? Did you just live as normal humans before?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun sighed. “That’s how it worked for the rest of EXO. They lived normally and then they were found and recruited.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun could feel Läy’s curious gaze burning holes in the back of his head from the other side of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...And you?” Läy’s voice was barely loud enough to be heard, but the soft whisper seemed deafening in the silence of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was also just a normal kid, but I was found when I was six and ever since then, I was raised in a government facility.” Baekhyun struggled to keep his voice light, but he knew it trembled too much to possibly fool Läy. Part of him hoped Läy had miraculously not heard him but part of him was tired of hiding. Tired of tiptoeing around the truth so that no one realised. It’s not like Läy was part of EXO or anything. What’s the worst that could happen if he knew?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like a crime, but Baekhyun made no move to contradict what he said. The truth was out, at least to Läy, and he felt a sort of spiteful satisfaction, as if he was finally done with years of holding in the truth that EXO wouldn’t believe even if he told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Done or not, the memories paralyzed him. He felt like he was drowning in them anyway. His chest shook with every breath, as if something was pushing down on it, pushing the air out.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dead silence stretched on for what seemed like hours to Baekhyun. He was grateful for it, grateful for the fact that his back was facing Läy, so that he couldn’t see him trying to breathe, trying to calm down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that sucks.” Läy said, and Baekhyun laughed but it came out bitter and hollow and he choked on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, it’s not like I remember them,” Baekhyun abandoned all effort to keep his voice steady, “I don’t really…” Baekhyun trailed off because he was about to say that he didn’t really care anymore, but he did. He cared too much about people he couldn’t even remember, who didn’t even know him anymore. It was pathetic how much he clung to the idea of them, because really, the idea of them was all he had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about ĖXØ?” Baekhyun said suddenly, obviously trying to change the topic, and Läy let him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just woke up one day.”  Läy answered, walking over to sit on the same bed as him, “I don’t remember much of the early days, but i know there was a lot of testing and experiments before they finally let us free.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun hummed in response and a thought occurred to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Baekhyun started, a grin beginning to stretch over his face, “does that mean I’m older than you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Läy stared at him, bemused, as if he did not think of that. “Huh?” He said intelligently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am!” Baekhyun crowed in delight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait but,” Läy stuttered over the beginning of the sentence, “I never said you weren’t…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hush, I’m older.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I never—!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Baekhyun quieted him and cackled. Läy’s bewildered expression only made him laugh harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually Baekhyun grew tired of laughing and he collapsed against Läy, resting his head on his shoulder. Läy, who still had no idea what was so funny, just looked at him pleadingly, having correctly assumed that Baekhyun would just dissolve into laughter once more if he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ssh, I’m older,” Baekhyun said, grinning ear to ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Läy sighed. “I didn’t even say anything,” He mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ssh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Läy acquiesced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence, Baekhyun’s frame shaking with suppressed laughter, Läy staring at him exasperatedly. They stayed like that even once Baekhyun calmed down, and pretty soon, the shouts of ĖXØ beginning their weekly insanity fell on deaf ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(And if Baëkhyun found them later, sides still pressed together to fit on one bed, Baekhyun’s head still resting on Läy’s shoulder while they slept, well, that was for Baëkhyun to store for future blackmail purposes and no one else to know.)</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Läy is a confused bby i love him</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Jongdae</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER UPDATE AND IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE I LAST UPDATED??? YA GIRL IS WILDIN OMG</p><p>(hey so i tried to clean up the fic so in case you see any typos or grammar mistakes, in any chapter, please point them out in the comments!!!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jongdae wouldn’t have said that he and Yixing used didn’t get along before. There was no animosity between them. But, undeniably, something changed after that one day, and it was only after that change that Jongdae could truly say he was close to Yixing. </p><p>For one, they started spending a lot more time together, as one did when you were secretly plotting against the government.</p><p>“Yixing,” Jongdae gasped, “you’ve been holding out on us!”</p><p>Yixing just smiled softly in the way he usually did, a little bashfully, a little awkwardly, more than a little not good for Jongdae’s heart. </p><p>“Ssh,” Yixing said, voice dropped low to avoid being heard, “everyone’s asleep. If Junmyeon catches us again, I think he’s going to make his own assumptions about why you’re in my room at three AM.”</p><p>Jongdae choked on his own saliva. Yixing smiled at him again, as if he found nothing weird about that assumption, once more offering Jongdae the biscuits he had hidden in his room.</p><p><em> That’s because nothing is wrong, you idiot, </em> Jongdae thought, <em> he’s literally just saying Junmyeon would assume that. </em>Silently hoping his ears weren’t burning red, Jongdae accepted the biscuit. </p><p>“But Yixing,” Jongdae said suddenly, very obviously trying to change the topic, ears definitely burning red, “of all people, I didn’t expect you to have a secret stash. You know we’re not allowed to keep our own food, so how did Junmyeon not catch you?”</p><p>Yixing shrugged.</p><p>“He never searched my room.”</p><p>Jongdae’s mouth fell open.</p><p>“But...but he searches everyone’s room!”</p><p>Yixing leaned forward and Jongdae became suddenly aware of the rapidly decreasing distance between them. They were sitting cross legged on Yixing’s bed, facing each other, and there was already not much space between them to speak of.</p><p>“Want to know a secret?” Yixing said in a stage whisper, fighting back a grin. </p><p>Jongdae nodded. </p><p>“He only searches Sehun, Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, Jongin's, and your room. He just says he searches everyone’s.”</p><p>“That’s so unfair,” Jongdae whined, throwing himself over the bed like a child having a tantrum, internally breathing a sigh of relief now that there was enough distance between him and Yixing for him to be able to calm down.</p><p>“Like, okay, fine. I get that you and Minseok are the last people anyone would suspect of doing something like this, and honestly? You’re so sneaky for taking advantage of that. Respect. But <em> Baekhyun </em>? Since when does Junmyeon trust him so much?"</p><p>It was the wrong thing to say and Jongdae knew it the second he said it. Yixing's smile wavered for a second before it was pasted onto his expression once more, brighter and faker than ever. </p><p>"Not that Baekhyun isn't trustworthy! That's not what I meant, I was just—" Jongdae hastily adds, tripping over his words.</p><p>"It's okay, I know what you meant." Yixing smiled at him, but Jongdae had seen the real smile too often to not recognize the way this one strained at the edges, barely managing to hang on.</p><p>
  <em> Stupid, stupid Jongdae. Why did you even mention Baekhyun? </em>
</p><p>Yixing had long since moved past leaving the room at the mention of Baekhyun. It had been nearly two weeks since the disappearance after all. </p><p>But there were good days and there were bad ones. On good ones, Yixing laughed and told Jongdae stories about him and Baekhyun, stories from when it was only the two of them in the facility, and more recent ones. Jongdae scarcely recognised the Baekhyun in Yixing's stories as the same Baekhyun who had managed to be paired up with him for missions for years without holding a single conversation.</p><p>("Baekhyun's really shy." Yixing had assured him when Jongdae voiced these thoughts to him. "He's not like that once you get to know him."</p><p>Jongdae wondered what it would even take to get close to him, if being in life threatening situations together for years didn't do the trick.)</p><p>On bad days, Yixing drooped at Baekhyun's name, like a wilting flower. For all his perpetual grumpiness and silence, Baekhyun was Yixing's closest friend. Two weeks wasn't nearly enough to get over him being abducted. Yixing was close with everyone, but he cared for Baekhyun as if there was no one else in his mind.</p><p>(The thought stung, and that was a whole other box that Jongdae was <em> not </em> opening.)</p><p>Jongdae should have realised something was off when Yixing carefully avoided saying Baekhyun's name, referring to him solely by his pronouns. But he didn't and now Yixing was staring off into the distance, eyes glazed over. Jongdae could steal the entire box of biscuits from Yixing's hand and he wouldn't even notice.</p><p>As much as he itched to fill the silence, to say something to make Yixing snap out of it, Jongdae knew that Yixing had something to say, and he was going to say it in his own time.</p><p>So, Jongdae waited. He finished the entire box of biscuits, offering one to Yixing every few minutes, going unnoticed by Yixing each time, and was rooting around in Yixing's closet for more when Yixing finally spoke up.</p><p>"It's stupid, right?" </p><p>Jongdae turned towards the bed to see Yixing with his knees drawn up to his chest, face resting in between his knees. He walked over to the bed and ignored the urge to poke Yixing's bunched up cheeks.</p><p>"What is?"</p><p>Yixing sighed and pushed his face further into his knees. Jongdae sent up a quick prayer for his neck.</p><p>"It's just…I know that I'm quite literally Baekhyun's only friend. But I don't know anything about him. I don't know when he came to facility, how he reached here, where he's from. Be honest, you guys didn't think I wasn't that close to him either, right?"</p><p>"Uhh." Jongdae's silence spoke volumes. If he was being honest, he had no idea Baekhyun was even capable of friendship.</p><p>Yixing let out another sigh and flopped onto his side. </p><p>"And now he's gone and the government officials have something to do with it. They said something about 'The Baekhyun problem.' What does that even mean?"</p><p>Yixing fell silent. Jongdae reached out for his hand and squeezed it. </p><p>"We hole up in my room and try to think of a meaning for what Yongbok said every night, but it's going to get us nowhere. We're making guesses in the dark."</p><p>Jongdae's heartbeat sped up.</p><p>"What are you suggesting?" Jongdae said once he finally found his voice.</p><p>Yixing met his eyes.</p><p>"We need to get into the files of the government's EXO branch."</p><p>"How?" Jongdae silently prayed Yixing didn't answer the question.</p><p>"Well, we'll probably need to break into the government?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>not me thinking i wouldn't add any ships to this but xingdae just said no.</p><p>also my gcses are coming up 😭😭😭 i'm probably going to have to take another break i'm so sorry 😭😭😭😭</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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